What made you decide to homeschool?

[Starlight9803]

As for whether homeschooling affects frugality, it can depend. I, myself use a few packaged curriculum items (for language arts and math), and pull the rest together from online/yard sales/used book store, etc. I spend right around $300/yr for two children. That includes all supplies, curriculum, getting their pictures taken yearly, county baseball fees, etc. I spent way more than that in gas running the kids back and forth to school, expensive, low quality pictures twice a year, the constant fundraisers, and the wasted money on supplies they "needed", but never used at all. So, it saved us money.

As far as socialization goes - there need not be any special groups or activities. Between the sports they participated in before homeschooling (county league here is cheap), church activities and playing with cousins and neighborhood friends, there is no lack of socialization - with all age ranges and all different types of people. Our area only has one HS support group, which IMO, is as cliquish as in high school, so we do not participate in it. And I've found that though something like that could be nice for comparing notes/networking with like minded people, it is far from necessary.

[YankeeMom]

Also, school disctricts must provide you with that school years books if you ask.

This may be true in your state, but not in all states. In NY, they do not have to supply you with books (not that I would want to use most of their stuff anyway, especially the TERC math). They don't even allow homeschoolers to play on sports teams with public school children if they are a team that plays against other schools...which is basically all of them.

[hollyhill]

Oh my, its been so long since I was asked that question! I have been homeschooling for 12 years now (back then people would say "Homeschool? Is that LEGAL????").
I first decided to homeschool because my eldest is anaphylactically allergic to peanuts. At the time no protocols were in place to protect her, and I was terrified to send her to school. So I decided to homeschool her for a few years until she was old enough to be responsible about her food environment. Then Ds was born visually impaired with one odd looking eye (looks like a cats eye). I realized he would need additional support with learning visually and the school environment is often cruel with those who are in anyway different. So I decided that I would homeschool him too.
Dd #2 could not sit still and was NOT ready for school at age 5 or even 6..... But by 7 she was a different being and READY!!!! Learned to read within weeks etc.
By the time my eldest was old enough to be responsible for her food environment (grade 4ish), we all loved homeschooling so much we wouldn't have dreamed of stopping. It worked and is working so well for all my children.

[Day~Dreamer]

I decided to home school before I had dd, before I was pregnant, and even before I finished high school. I went to 13 different schools in 12 years. 5 of them were High schools. The fact that I changed schools never bothered me, however it did expose me to many different schools and districts. In all of them (except one) I saw the same things. Children are a group, not individual children. They learn as a group, move as a group, play as a group. Everything is centered around a group. There is no time or energy for the individual child. No chance to excel, and no help if you fall behind.
Another observation is that standardized tests, everything is also surrounded by these test. Curriculum based on them, classes based on them. I was often put in the "bad group" because of my test scores. I was always bored with the tests and wouldn't finished them or would just make designs out of the answers. I often found myself bored in school and one year I remember only turning in a couple assignment for math and I ended up with a B???? What does this teach our children?? many years later that particular school district lost their accreditation.
I also learned that the system could be manipulated. I was on my own from 14 on and I milked it dry. One year I didn't enroll myself into school until October and instead of making me catch up they let me start fresh. And subsequently when I had my 4 page finals I only had to complete 1 1/2 pages of them. And this school had won MANY awards for being such a GREAT school
Then I transferred schools yet again and this school required a substantial amount more of credits to graduate, but again I knew that school could be manipulated. I was able to get them to change MY graduation requirements 15 less credits. Then I went into a alternative school which was a joke all work was done on the computer, ok lets see press enter multiple times and you can finish very quickly, then guess on the answers for the test. Yay graduated 1/2 a semester early!!!
ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE!!!!! I can not believe what I got away with and this is in many districts in different states.

So the decision for me was a very easy one. I am in control of dd's education.